Install Exchange Server 2019 Step-By-Step

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Step-by-Step Guide: How to Install Microsoft Exchange 2019

Microsoft Exchange 2019 is a robust email server designed for business communication, offering features like email, calendaring, task management, and more. Installing Exchange 2019 on your server may seem daunting, but by following these steps carefully, you’ll have a fully operational server. This guide will walk you through the installation process using PowerShell commands and graphical user interfaces (GUI). Let’s get started!

Pre-requisites

Before we dive into the installation, ensure you have the following requirements:

  • Supported Operating System: Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2022
  • .NET Framework: Version 4.8 or later
  • Visual C++ Redistributable: 2013 or later
  • Exchange Server Requirements: A server with at least 128GB of RAM for Mailbox role
  • Active Directory Schema: Ensure that the server is a member of an Active Directory domain

Disk Space: Minimum 30GB for installation, plus additional storage for databases and logs

Step 1: Install Windows Server 2019 Roles and Features

Start by installing the necessary roles and features for Exchange Server 2019. This can be done using PowerShell. Open PowerShell as an administrator and execute the following Powershell command:

PowerShell
Install-WindowsFeature-Name ADLDS, NET-Framework-Features, RSAT-ADDS, Web-Mgmt-Console, WAS-Process-Model, RSAT-Web-Server, Windows-Identity-Foundation, Web-Asp-Net45, Web-ISAPI-Filter, Web-ISAPI-Ext, Web-Metabase, Web-Lgcy-Mgmt-Console, Web-Dyn-Compression, Web-Net-Ext45

After installing these roles and features, reboot your server to apply the changes.

Step 2: Install .NET Framework 4.8 and Visual C++ Redistributable

To install the .NET Framework, download it from the official Microsoft website. After downloading, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Similarly, download and install the Visual C++ Redistributable from Microsoft’s official site.

Step 3: Prepare Active Directory

Before installing Exchange, the Active Directory (AD) schema needs to be updated to accommodate the changes Exchange will introduce. Ensure you’re using an account with schema and enterprise admin privileges.

  1. Insert the Exchange installation media or mount the Exchange ISO file.
  2. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
  3. Navigate to the Exchange setup files and run the following command:
D:\setup.exe/PrepareSchema/IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

Once the schema update is complete, prepare Active Directory for the new Exchange installation:

D:\setup.exe/PrepareAD/OrganizationName:"YourOrganizationName"/IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

This step configures your AD environment for Exchange 2019.

Step 4: Install Exchange 2019

Now it’s time to install Exchange 2019. Open Command Prompt with administrator rights and run the setup file from the Exchange installation directory:

D:\setup.exe/mode:Install/role:Mailbox/IAcceptExchangeServerLicenseTerms

This command installs Exchange 2019 with the Mailbox role. If you want to install additional roles, modify the /role parameter accordingly. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Step 5: Configure Exchange Post-Installation

Once the installation completes, Exchange Management Shell (EMS) will automatically be available. Use EMS to configure the Exchange server. Start by configuring an Outlook Anywhere feature, which enables external clients to connect to your Exchange Server:

Set-OutlookAnywhere -ExternalHostname"mail.yourdomain.com" -InternalHostname"mail.yourdomain.com" -ExternalClientsRequireSsl $true -InternalClientsRequireSsl $true

Step 6: Configure Virtual Directories

To enable clients to connect to Exchange services such as Outlook Web Access (OWA), you need to configure the virtual directories:

Get-OwaVirtualDirectory |Set-OwaVirtualDirectory -ExternalUrl"https://mail.yourdomain.com/owa" -InternalUrl"https://mail.yourdomain.com/owa" -ExternalAuthenticationMethodsBasic -InternalAuthenticationMethods NTLM

Also, configure the ECP (Exchange Control Panel) virtual directory:

Get-EcpVirtualDirectory |Set-EcpVirtualDirectory -ExternalUrl"https://mail.yourdomain.com/ecp" -InternalUrl"https://mail.yourdomain.com/ecp"

Step 7: Test Exchange Server Functionality

Before going live, it’s crucial to test your Exchange 2019 server to ensure everything is configured correctly.

  • Use the Exchange Management Shell to test email flow:
Test-Mailflow
  • Use the Exchange Management Shell to test email flow:
Test-OutlookWebServices -Identity"user@yourdomain.com"

Step 8: Activate Exchange Server

Lastly, activate your Exchange 2019 server with the product key:

Set-ExchangeServer -Identity"EXCHANGESERVERNAME" -ProductKey XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

This completes the installation and activation of Microsoft Exchange 2019.

*Note that by default Exchange 2019 will run for 180 Days as a trial period without activation, Thus the activation can be done on a later stage.

Conclusion

Installing Microsoft Exchange 2019 requires attention to detail, but following these step-by-step instructions will help you install it with minimal hassle. Once installed, configure the server settings to suit your business needs and ensure to test the functionality before deploying it fully.

By maintaining your Exchange server, you can ensure efficient communication for your organization, whether through emails, calendar management, or other collaborative features.

References

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